<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<!DOCTYPE html><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
  <head>
    <title>glLinkProgram - OpenGL 4 Reference Pages</title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="opengl-man.css"/>
    <meta name="generator" content="DocBook XSL Stylesheets V1.78.1"/>
    <script type="text/x-mathjax-config">
            MathJax.Hub.Config({
                MathML: {
                    extensions: ["content-mathml.js"]
                },
                tex2jax: {
                    inlineMath: [['$','$'], ['\\(','\\)']]
                }
            });
        </script>
    <script type="text/javascript" src="https://cdn.mathjax.org/mathjax/latest/MathJax.js?config=TeX-AMS-MML_HTMLorMML"/>
  </head>
  <body>
    <header/>
    <div class="refentry" id="glLinkProgram">
      <div class="titlepage"/>
      <div class="refnamediv">
        <h2>Name</h2>
        <p>glLinkProgram — Links a program object</p>
      </div>
      <div class="refsynopsisdiv">
        <h2>C Specification</h2>
        <div class="funcsynopsis">
          <table style="border: 0; cellspacing: 0; cellpadding: 0;" class="funcprototype-table">
            <tr>
              <td>
                <code class="funcdef">void <strong class="fsfunc">glLinkProgram</strong>(</code>
              </td>
              <td>GLuint <var class="pdparam">program</var><code>)</code>;</td>
            </tr>
          </table>
          <div class="funcprototype-spacer"> </div>
        </div>
      </div>
      <div class="refsect1" id="parameters">
        <h2>Parameters</h2>
        <div class="variablelist">
          <dl class="variablelist">
            <dt>
              <span class="term">
                <em class="parameter">
                  <code>program</code>
                </em>
              </span>
            </dt>
            <dd>
              <p>Specifies the handle of the program object to be linked.</p>
            </dd>
          </dl>
        </div>
      </div>
      <div class="refsect1" id="description">
        <h2>Description</h2>
        <p><code class="function">glLinkProgram</code> links the program
    object specified by <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>. If any
    shader objects of type <code class="constant">GL_VERTEX_SHADER</code> are
    attached to <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>, they will be used to
    create an executable that will run on the programmable vertex
    processor. If any shader objects of type <code class="constant">GL_GEOMETRY_SHADER</code>
    are attached to <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>, they will be used to create
    an executable that will run on the programmable geometry processor.
    If any shader objects of type
    <code class="constant">GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER</code> are attached to
    <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>, they will be used to create an
    executable that will run on the programmable fragment
    processor.</p>
        <p>The status of the link operation will be stored as part of
    the program object's state. This value will be set to
    <code class="constant">GL_TRUE</code> if the program object was linked
    without errors and is ready for use, and
    <code class="constant">GL_FALSE</code> otherwise. It can be queried by
    calling
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glGetProgram.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetProgram</span></span></a>
    with arguments <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em> and
    <code class="constant">GL_LINK_STATUS</code>.</p>
        <p>As a result of a successful link operation, all active
    user-defined uniform variables belonging to
    <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em> will be initialized to 0, and
    each of the program object's active uniform variables will be
    assigned a location that can be queried by calling
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glGetUniformLocation.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetUniformLocation</span></span></a>.
    Also, any active user-defined attribute variables that have not
    been bound to a generic vertex attribute index will be bound to
    one at this time.</p>
        <p>Linking of a program object can fail for a number of
    reasons as specified in the <span class="emphasis"><em>OpenGL Shading Language
    Specification</em></span>. The following lists some of the
    conditions that will cause a link error.</p>
        <div class="itemizedlist">
          <ul class="itemizedlist" style="list-style-type: disc; ">
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The number of active attribute variables supported
        by the implementation has been exceeded.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The storage limit for uniform variables has been
        exceeded.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The number of active uniform variables supported
        by the implementation has been exceeded.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The <code class="function">main</code> function is missing
        for the vertex, geometry or fragment shader.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>A varying variable actually used in the fragment
        shader is not declared in the same way (or is not
        declared at all) in the vertex shader, or geometry shader shader if present.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>A reference to a function or variable name is
        unresolved.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>A shared global is declared with two different
        types or two different initial values.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>One or more of the attached shader objects has not
        been successfully compiled.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>Binding a generic attribute matrix caused some
        rows of the matrix to fall outside the allowed maximum
        of <code class="constant">GL_MAX_VERTEX_ATTRIBS</code>.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>Not enough contiguous vertex attribute slots could
        be found to bind attribute matrices.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The program object contains objects to form a fragment shader but
        does not contain objects to form a vertex shader.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The program object contains objects to form a geometry shader
        but does not contain objects to form a vertex shader.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The program object contains objects to form a geometry shader
        and the input primitive type, output primitive type, or maximum output
        vertex count is not specified in any compiled geometry shader
        object.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The program object contains objects to form a geometry shader
        and the input primitive type, output primitive type, or maximum output
        vertex count is specified differently in multiple geometry shader
        objects.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The number of active outputs in the fragment shader is greater
        than the value of <code class="constant">GL_MAX_DRAW_BUFFERS</code>.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The program has an active output assigned to a location greater
        than or equal to the value of <code class="constant">GL_MAX_DUAL_SOURCE_DRAW_BUFFERS</code>
        and has an active output assigned an index greater than or equal to one.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>More than one varying out variable is bound to the same number and index.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The explicit binding assigments do not leave enough space for the linker
        to automatically assign a location for a varying out array, which requires
        multiple contiguous locations.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The <em class="parameter"><code>count</code></em> specified by <a class="citerefentry" href="glTransformFeedbackVaryings.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glTransformFeedbackVaryings</span></span></a>
        is non-zero, but the program object has no vertex or geometry shader.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>Any variable name specified to <a class="citerefentry" href="glTransformFeedbackVaryings.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glTransformFeedbackVaryings</span></span></a>
        in the <em class="parameter"><code>varyings</code></em> array is not declared as an output in the vertex shader (or the geometry shader, if active).</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>Any two entries in the <em class="parameter"><code>varyings</code></em> array given
        <a class="citerefentry" href="glTransformFeedbackVaryings.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glTransformFeedbackVaryings</span></span></a>
        specify the same varying variable.</p>
            </li>
            <li class="listitem">
              <p>The total number of components to capture in any transform feedback varying variable
        is  greater  than  the  constant <code class="constant">GL_MAX_TRANSFORM_FEEDBACK_SEPARATE_COMPONENTS</code>
        and the buffer mode is <code class="constant">GL_SEPARATE_ATTRIBS</code>.</p>
            </li>
          </ul>
        </div>
        <p>When a program object has been successfully linked, the
    program object can be made part of current state by calling
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glUseProgram.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glUseProgram</span></span></a>.
    Whether or not the link operation was successful, the program
    object's information log will be overwritten. The information
    log can be retrieved by calling
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glGetProgramInfoLog.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetProgramInfoLog</span></span></a>.</p>
        <p><code class="function">glLinkProgram</code> will also install the
    generated executables as part of the current rendering state if
    the link operation was successful and the specified program
    object is already currently in use as a result of a previous
    call to
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glUseProgram.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glUseProgram</span></span></a>.
    If the program object currently in use is relinked
    unsuccessfully, its link status will be set to
    <code class="constant">GL_FALSE</code> , but the executables and
    associated state will remain part of the current state until a
    subsequent call to <code class="function">glUseProgram</code> removes it
    from use. After it is removed from use, it cannot be made part
    of current state until it has been successfully relinked.</p>
        <p>If <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em> contains shader objects
    of type <code class="constant">GL_VERTEX_SHADER</code>, and optionally of type <code class="constant">GL_GEOMETRY_SHADER</code>,
    but does not contain shader objects of type
    <code class="constant">GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER</code>, the vertex shader executable will
    be installed on the programmable vertex processor, the geometry shader executable, if present,
    will be installed on the programmable geometry processor, but no executable will
    be installed on the fragment processor. The results of
    rasterizing primitives with such a program will be undefined.</p>
        <p>The program object's information log is updated and the
    program is generated at the time of the link operation. After
    the link operation, applications are free to modify attached
    shader objects, compile attached shader objects, detach shader
    objects, delete shader objects, and attach additional shader
    objects. None of these operations affects the information log or
    the program that is part of the program object.</p>
      </div>
      <div class="refsect1" id="notes">
        <h2>Notes</h2>
        <p>If the link operation is unsuccessful, any information about a previous link operation on <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>
    is lost (i.e., a failed link does not restore the old state of <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>
    ). Certain information can still be retrieved from <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>
    even after an unsuccessful link operation. See for instance <a class="citerefentry" href="glGetActiveAttrib.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetActiveAttrib</span></span></a>
    and <a class="citerefentry" href="glGetActiveUniform.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetActiveUniform</span></span></a>.</p>
      </div>
      <div class="refsect1" id="errors">
        <h2>Errors</h2>
        <p><code class="constant">GL_INVALID_VALUE</code>
    is generated if <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>
    is not a value generated by OpenGL.</p>
        <p><code class="constant">GL_INVALID_OPERATION</code>
    is generated if <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>
    is not a program object.</p>
        <p><code class="constant">GL_INVALID_OPERATION</code>
    is generated if <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em> is the currently active program
    object and transform feedback mode is active.</p>
      </div>
      <div class="refsect1" id="associatedgets">
        <h2>Associated Gets</h2>
        <p><a class="citerefentry" href="glGet.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGet</span></span></a>
    with the argument <code class="constant">GL_CURRENT_PROGRAM</code></p>
        <p><a class="citerefentry" href="glGetActiveAttrib.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetActiveAttrib</span></span></a>
    with argument <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>
    and the index of an active attribute variable</p>
        <p><a class="citerefentry" href="glGetActiveUniform.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetActiveUniform</span></span></a>
    with argument <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>
    and the index of an active uniform variable<em class="parameter"><code/></em></p>
        <p><a class="citerefentry" href="glGetAttachedShaders.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetAttachedShaders</span></span></a>
    with argument <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em></p>
        <p><a class="citerefentry" href="glGetAttribLocation.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetAttribLocation</span></span></a>
    with argument <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>
    and an attribute variable name</p>
        <p><a class="citerefentry" href="glGetProgram.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetProgram</span></span></a>
    with arguments <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>
    and <code class="constant">GL_LINK_STATUS</code></p>
        <p><a class="citerefentry" href="glGetProgramInfoLog.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetProgramInfoLog</span></span></a>
    with argument <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em></p>
        <p><a class="citerefentry" href="glGetUniform.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetUniform</span></span></a>
    with argument <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>
    and a uniform variable location</p>
        <p><a class="citerefentry" href="glGetUniformLocation.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glGetUniformLocation</span></span></a>
    with argument <em class="parameter"><code>program</code></em>
    and a uniform variable name</p>
        <p>
          <a class="citerefentry" href="glIsProgram.xhtml">
            <span class="citerefentry">
              <span class="refentrytitle">glIsProgram</span>
            </span>
          </a>
        </p>
      </div>
      <div class="refsect1" id="versions">
        <h2>Version Support</h2>
        <div class="informaltable">
          <table style="border-collapse: collapse; border-top: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; border-left: 2px solid ; border-right: 2px solid ; ">
            <colgroup>
              <col style="text-align: left; "/>
              <col style="text-align: center; " class="firstvers"/>
              <col style="text-align: center; "/>
              <col style="text-align: center; "/>
              <col style="text-align: center; "/>
              <col style="text-align: center; "/>
              <col style="text-align: center; "/>
              <col style="text-align: center; "/>
              <col style="text-align: center; "/>
              <col style="text-align: center; "/>
              <col style="text-align: center; "/>
              <col style="text-align: center; "/>
              <col style="text-align: center; " class="lastvers"/>
            </colgroup>
            <thead>
              <tr>
                <th style="text-align: left; border-right: 2px solid ; ">
                 
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 2px solid ; " colspan="12">
                <span class="bold"><strong>OpenGL Version</strong></span>
            </th>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <th style="text-align: left; border-right: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>Function / Feature Name</strong></span>
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>2.0</strong></span>
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>2.1</strong></span>
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>3.0</strong></span>
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>3.1</strong></span>
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>3.2</strong></span>
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>3.3</strong></span>
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>4.0</strong></span>
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>4.1</strong></span>
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>4.2</strong></span>
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>4.3</strong></span>
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>4.4</strong></span>
            </th>
                <th style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 2px solid ; ">
                <span class="bold"><strong>4.5</strong></span>
            </th>
              </tr>
            </thead>
            <tbody>
              <tr>
                <td style="text-align: left; border-right: 2px solid ; ">
                  <code class="function">glLinkProgram</code>
                </td>
                <td style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; ">✔</td>
                <td style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; ">✔</td>
                <td style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; ">✔</td>
                <td style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; ">✔</td>
                <td style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; ">✔</td>
                <td style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; ">✔</td>
                <td style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; ">✔</td>
                <td style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; ">✔</td>
                <td style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; ">✔</td>
                <td style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; ">✔</td>
                <td style="text-align: center; border-right: 2px solid ; ">✔</td>
                <td style="text-align: center; ">✔</td>
              </tr>
            </tbody>
          </table>
        </div>
      </div>
      <div class="refsect1" id="seealso">
        <h2>See Also</h2>
        <p><a class="citerefentry" href="glAttachShader.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glAttachShader</span></span></a>,
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glBindAttribLocation.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glBindAttribLocation</span></span></a>,
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glCompileShader.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glCompileShader</span></span></a>,
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glCreateProgram.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glCreateProgram</span></span></a>,
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glDeleteProgram.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glDeleteProgram</span></span></a>,
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glDetachShader.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glDetachShader</span></span></a>,
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glUniform.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glUniform</span></span></a>,
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glUseProgram.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glUseProgram</span></span></a>,
    <a class="citerefentry" href="glValidateProgram.xhtml"><span class="citerefentry"><span class="refentrytitle">glValidateProgram</span></span></a></p>
      </div>
      <div class="refsect1" id="Copyright">
        <h2>Copyright</h2>
        <p>
            Copyright <span class="trademark"/>© 2003-2005 3Dlabs Inc. Ltd.
            Copyright <span class="trademark"/>© 2010-2014 Khronos Group.
            This material may be distributed subject to the terms and conditions set forth in
            the Open Publication License, v 1.0, 8 June 1999.
            <a class="link" href="http://opencontent.org/openpub/" target="_top">http://opencontent.org/openpub/</a>.
        </p>
      </div>
    </div>
    <footer/>
  </body>
</html>
